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Microplastic-free, but we're not talking about it - why?

08/27/2024 |

Our children’s paints are designed to be safe and dependable. Properties like gluten-free, lactose-free and paraben-free are something that we specially mention for MUCKI Finger Paints and other products. But, as of now, we are no longer labelling them as microplastic-free, too.

 

In future, we won’t be printing a microplastic-free icon on the product or packaging. We won’t mention the property in the product information nor advertise with it. And that even though MUCKI Finger Paint, MUCKI Craft Paint and KREUL Kids Art don’t contain microplastic in their paint formulation.

 

For us, it has gone without saying for a long time that these products should be free of microplastics. And at last, all water-soluble paints have to be that way, even those made by other manufacturers, as the EU has banned the use of microplastics in many water-soluble products. The property has therefore become a statutory requirement. As advertising with is not allowed, there will be no longer any indication on our products that these are free of microplastics.

 

Background: The new legal situation

The (EU) 2023/2055 regulation dated 25.09.2023 regulates the use of deliberately added solid synthetic polymer microparticles in product mixes. Paints also count as mixes. The regulation says that synthetic solid polymer particles may no longer be used in any water-soluble product mixes that don't qualify for an exemption or a transitory period. Water-soluble mixes – that includes water-soluble paints, too – must be free of microplastics.

What happens to those products already in the shops?

This is where the right to sell off products comes in. Products on which the “Microplastic-free” icon can be seen may still be sold. Taking them out of the shops and binning them is not in the interest of sustainability as the paint is still perfectly usable. Products that KREUL still has in its warehouse may still be sold in shops. For new production lots, however, the property microplastic-free will no longer be printed on the label or the packaging.